Napali Coast

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Napali Coast

What: Iconic, mountainous shoreline on Kauai’s North Shore
Where: About 90 minutes north of Lihue

Spanning 17 miles along Kauai’s North Shore, the Napali Coast is a sacred place defined by extraordinary natural beauty. These emerald-hued cliffs with razor-sharp ridges tower above the Pacific Ocean, revealing beautiful beaches and waterfalls that plummet to the lush valley floor. The rugged terrain appears much as it did centuries ago when Hawaiian settlements flourished in these deep, narrow valleys, existing only on the food they could grow and the fish they could catch.

There are many ways to explore the Napali Coast, but the safest access and best views are found by sea or by air. Boat tours depart from Port Allen on the West Side, and during the summer months, guided kayaking trips bring you up-close to soaring cathedral cliffs. When conditions are right, raft tours are available to guide you to hidden sea caves and remote beaches.

Aerial tours, most lifting off from Lihue Airport, are perhaps the best way to grasp the magnitude of the Napali Coast. You’ll also get a front-row seat to scenic areas that are largely inaccessible by land or water, like majestic Manawaiopuna Falls, a backdrop in the film "Jurassic Park." Whichever tour you choose, the natural splendor of the Napali Coast will leave a deep impression on your soul.

We recognize the proper use of the Hawaiian language including the ‘okina [‘], a consonant, and the kahakō [ō] or macron (e.g., in place names of Hawai‘i such as Lāna‘i).However, these have been omitted from this website for the best online experience for our visitors. We realize the importance and continue to use them outside of the online platform.